With a thud, the Li Family mother and son were thrown into the courthouse. Young Master Dou stood arrogantly with his chin up, glaring at them. If it weren’t for being in the courthouse, he would’ve stepped on their backs as he spoke.

"Lord County Magistrate, this shrewish mother and son startled my family’s carriage, almost costing me my life when I got thrown out. Afterwards, they brazenly accused my family’s carriage of hitting her son, demanding a hundred taels of silver in compensation!" Young Master Dou raised a finger and said, "Lord County Magistrate, according to Great Chu Criminal Law, extorting over a hundred taels of silver is a major crime, punishable by exile over a thousand miles. I urge you to handle this impartially."

Hiss, Lord Zheng eyed Young Master Dou, thinking he was more than deserving of a beating, but Master Ouyang had said Young Master Dou was the principal financier of the new bank.

This golden patron can’t be offended now; he must be treated with respect.

With a slap, County Magistrate Zheng struck the gavel and said, "Li Qiangzi, Mrs. Li Qian, is what Young Master Dou said true? Speak quickly, dare to speak a single falsehood, and you’ll face severe punishment!"

Mrs. Li Qian shouted, "No, Lord County Magistrate, this little bastard is lying; it was his family’s carriage that first hit my son. Hurry up and arrest him!"

Sigh, County Magistrate Zheng sighed, wondering why there were so many foolish women.

Pointing at Li Qiangzi, he said, "You claim Young Master Dou’s carriage hit your son, yet look at Li Qiangzi; his limbs are intact. If a speeding carriage had truly struck him, your son would be dead or crippled."

Mrs. Li Qian, worthy of the shrew title, was puzzled for a moment, then quickly retorted, "That’s because my son ran fast, narrowly avoiding injury."

"What do you mean your son ran fast? It’s my family’s Dou Meng’s excellent driving skills that avoided your son; otherwise, he’d be dead by now." Young Master Dou, unwilling to argue further with Mrs. Li Qian, merely said, "Shrew, I give you one last chance; do you confess?"

Mrs. Li Qian spat, "No guilt here! It was your family’s carriage that hit my son."

Young Master Dou laughed, and the last shred of sympathy vanished: "Dou Zhi, bring forth the witnesses!"

"Yes," Dou Zhi quickly brought up the three witnesses.

The three promptly testified to what they had seen, without wasting words.

A porter named Niu added, "Lord County Magistrate, I had just returned from a delivery to the county town, strolling leisurely and witnessed everything. This incident arose because Li Qiangzi tried to take advantage of a young woman who refused, took her son and fled, and he pursued her, thus startling Young Master Dou’s carriage."

What!

County Magistrate Zheng was shocked, looking at Li Qiangzi, then at Miss Zhou, and finally at Steward Zheng, his eyes saying: If I recall correctly, isn’t Miss Zhou Li Kuihu’s woman and Li Qiangzi his son?

Steward Zheng nodded, "Lord County Magistrate, that relationship is correct."

"Absurd! Simply worse than beasts!" County Magistrate Zheng, a civil servant from a noble family, was utterly shocked, trembling with rage, he pointed at Li Qiangzi and said, "Li Qiangzi, you startled the carriage, yet conspired with your mother to extort Young Master Dou, this is a major crime."

He continued, "Do you know Young Master Dou holds the title of Yulin Army Spear? He is a ranked military officer. Extorting an official, the crime is worsened!"

Even though Yulin Army Spear is an inferior Lower Ninth Rank military officer, it’s still an official rank, useful when traveling.

Young Master Dou bought the title of Yulin Army Spear after reaching adulthood, using his connections in the Capital, spending silver for a position not requiring palace duties.

Mrs. Li Qian didn’t understand what Yulin Army Spear meant, but she knew it was an official rank: "You, you’re an official?!"

"Ha, yes. Otherwise, why do you think I don’t kneel before Lord County Magistrate?" Young Master Dou felt immensely satisfied, seeing Mrs. Li Qian’s shocked expression.

Shrew, now you know fear.

Li Qiangzi, hearing Young Master Dou was an officer, was terrified and hurriedly begged for mercy, "Lord County Magistrate, we know our mistake; we dare not entangle further, please spare us."

"Get lost, cowardly scoundrel with filthy thoughts, you deserve exile!" Young Master Dou said, "Lord County Magistrate, Mrs. Li Qian is manageable, but Li Qiangzi’s vile thoughts deserve harsh punishment. I urge severe sentencing!"

To ponder the woman who bore a son for his father, what oddity is this?

County Magistrate Zheng, disgusted by Li Qiangzi, showed no leniency and directly sentenced him for extorting an official, exiling him a thousand miles, forbidden to return for twenty years.

By the time Li Shuzi matured in twenty years, even if Li Qiangzi returned, he could no longer bully Miss Zhou.

Mrs. Li Qian was sentenced to three years in prison, but could redeem her sentence with thirty taels.

Upon hearing this, Mrs. Li Qian was overjoyed, thinking of her younger son at home, and planned to sell a few acres of paddy fields to gather the silver.

As for Li Qiangzi, son, don’t blame your mother for being heartless; you were seen taking advantage of that little wench, and Lord County Magistrate is indirectly punishing you.

Miss Zhou and her son were released.

Yet during the gratitude expression, Mrs. Li Qian glared at her, "Go home and send word to your youngest brother, tell him to sell fields and redeem me."

Mrs. Li Qian’s fierce gaze frightened Miss Zhou greatly, who nodded timidly.

Young Master Dou, seeing this, scolded, "You really are pathetic; the shrew is sentenced, what are you still afraid of?"

After speaking, he was disdainful of Miss Zhou’s lack of courage, thanked Lord County Magistrate, handed rewards to the officials, and left yawning.

But just as he stepped out the door, thinking about whether he might meet Qin San Lang, Li Shuzi suddenly came running out, pulling at Young Master Dou’s clothes to stop him: "Uncle is a good person, please, take us with you."

Li Shuzi feared the Zhou Family and Li Family greatly, and seeing Young Master Dou’s prowess in punishing Li Qiangzi’s mother and son, considered him a hero, and ran out to plead for him to take them away.

"Uncle? This young master is still so young, call me brother." Young Master Dou looked at Li Shuzi and said, "Take you away? Why should I? You merely consume food, can’t work."

Look at Dou Zhi and Dou Meng, these types of servants are what he needs.

Miss Zhou came running after hearing this and knelt, "Young Master Dou, this civilian woman can do any work, please buy us... We cannot go back; it will only lead to more suffering."

Elder Lin came out, paid respects to Young Master Dou, and recounted the hardships Miss Zhou endured and her current plight: "Although being a slave isn’t good, compared to life in the Li Family or Zhou Family, following Young Master Dou offers a chance for survival."

Only Young Master Zhou in the Zhou Family was decent, but he was merely Miss Zhou’s cousin, unable to take care of her mother and son for life.

"Young Master, this slave’s manor needs people in the future, why don’t you buy them? Consider it as buying them for the slave, you won’t need to care for them for life, I’ll manage." Dou Zhi had taken a liking to Li Shuzi, thinking if she wouldn’t marry, raising Li Shuzi’s mother and son meant relying on someone in her old age.

"You wish to buy them?" Young Master Dou furrowed his brow, his mind throbbing due to sleeplessness: "Alright, alright, buy them, handle it yourself, this young master needs to return to sleep."

Exhausted!

"Eh, thank you, Young Master." Dou Zhi was efficient with tasks, taking only an hour to finalize Miss Zhou’s indenture, leading her mother and son straight to the new bank.

Young Master Dou was busy, with no time to return to the manor for sleep, so he rested at the new bank.

After a nap, he rose to work again, staying up all night once more, only finishing everything by the next day, marking the opening day of the new bank.